This invention relates generally to a protective mouthguard for use by athletes and the like and more particularly to a custom formed mouthguard that assists in proper jaw posture to increase body muscular strength while yet further having additional teeth, jaw and joint protecting features.
A number of mouthguards currently exist in the art for protecting the teeth and for reducing the chance of shock, concussions and other injuries as a result of high impact collisions and blows during athletic competition. Mouthguards generally are characterized as being nonpersonalized, universal and stock model type, or are formed to have direct upper jaw tooth-formed contact. Additionally, the mouthguards may be tethered or untethered. Mouthguards may be tethered to a fastening point, such as a helmet or faceguard, to prevent the chance of the mouthguard from being lost as well to prevent swallowing of the mouthguard or choking on the mouthguard by the user.
The lack of a mouthguard or the use of improperly fitted mouthguards when impacts, collisions or blows occur to the jaw structure of an athlete have recently been found to be responsible for athletes' susceptibility to headaches, presence of earaches, ringing in the ears, clogged ears, vertigo, concussions and dizziness. The cause of these types of health problems and injuries are generally not visible by inspection of the mouth or jaw but more particularly relate to the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and surrounding tissues where the lower jaw is connected to the skull in the proximity where the auriculo-temporalis nerves and supra-temporal arteries pass from the neck nerves and supra-temporal arteries pass from the neck into the skull to the brain.
There is a need for a custom fit mouthguard with direct upper jaw tooth-formed contact for a user which will facilitate breathing and speech as well as reduce pressure and possible concussion impact upon the cartilage of the joint, the joint itself, the arteries and the nerves in proximity of the joints.